ST. PAUL, MINN. (09/08/2015)(readMedia)-- Final attendance numbers are in. With record Labor Day attendance of 178,867, cumulative attendance for the 2015 Great Minnesota Get-Together was 1,779,738, bringing final numbers within 2.5% of last year's all-time record total. All other daily figures, along with attendance history, can be found at mnstatefair.org.

The Minnesota State Fair's agricultural and creative competitions drew more than 30,000 entries this year, with competitors vying for a share of ribbons, trophies and more than $1.3 million in prize money. Competitions included events for livestock, horses, school projects, dog trials, baked and canned goods, fruit, vegetables, crafts, bee and honey products, fine arts, farm crops, flowers, butter, cheese and more.

The State Fair's Fine Arts Exhibition featured the largest juried art show in Minnesota. The People's Choice Award went to "Just a Glance," oil on panel by Daniel Volenec of Eden Prairie. Danny Saathoff of Edina won the Kids' Choice Award for a kinetic sculpture entitled "Wave Pattern Simulator."

The 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction on Sat., Aug. 29, brought in a record-breaking $590,000 to benefit 4-H programs.

In open class livestock competitions, supreme champion titles were awarded to the best grand champions out of all beef and dairy breeds, and breeding sheep and swine:

Open Class Supreme Champion Dairy Female: Jamie Endvick, Milk Source Genetics, Kaukauna, Wisc.

Open Class Supreme Champion Beef Female: Whitney Olson, Alexandria, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Beef Bull: Mark & Amanda Hilbrands, Hilbrands Cattle Co., Clara City, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Boar: Sheldon & Levi Johnson, Jackson, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Gilt: Will Freking, Alpha, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Ram, Wool Breeds: Isaiah Bauck, New York Mills, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Ewe, Wool Breeds: Isaiah Bauck, New York Mills, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Ram, Meat Breeds: Jeff Repasky, Northern Starr Livestock Services, Lonsdale, Minn.

Open Class Supreme Champion Ewe, Meat Breeds: Jerry & Rex Quam, Quam Suffolks and Hampshires, Wanamingo, Minn.

FFA Supreme Champion Breeding Female premiums were also awarded:

FFA Supreme Sheep Champion Breeding Female: Leah Bauck, New York Mills, Minn.

FFA Supreme Dairy Champion Breeding Female: Tanner Morrison, Peterson, Minn.

FFA Supreme Beef Champion Breeding Female: Kjersta Lind, Rushford, Minn.

FFA Supreme Swine Champion Breeding Female: Dalton Dykstra, Jackson, Minn.

Supreme and Signature winners in the Minnesota State Fair Horse Show were:

Supreme Draft Horse Halter Champion Stallion: Tom & Treasa Springett, Ellsworth, Wisc.

Supreme Draft Horse Halter Champion Mare: Andrew Stalhiem, Amery, Wisc.

Supreme Draft Horse Halter Champion Gelding: Harold Schumacher, Plainview, Minn.

Supreme Six-Horse Hitch: Harold Schumacher, Plainview, Minn.

Supreme Champion Hunt English Seat Pleasure: Allison Rosenburg, Eagan, Minn.

Supreme Champion Western Pleasure: Ann Connery, Apple Valley, Minn.

Signature Driving: Steven Bobzin, Champlin, Minn.

Signature Freestyle Liberty: Don Rundeen, Nerstrand, Minn.

Signature Mounted Native Costume: Rita Johnson, Brownton, Minn.

Signature Northwoods Trail Cup Challenge: Kathryn Davis, Apple Valley, Minn.

Signature Tandem Bareback: Lydia and Kim Gonsales, Cedar, Minn.

The Douglas K. Baldwin Award for FFA livestock show participation and leadership went to Matthew Gunderson of MACRAY FFA Chapter.

Kyla Mauk from Howard Lake, Minn., representing Wright County, was crowned the 62nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way to serve as the official goodwill ambassador for nearly 3,500 Minnesota dairy farm families this year.

The award-winning CHS Miracle of Birth Center welcomed 190 newborn animals, including 147 piglets, 12 calves and 31 lambs.

Total Grandstand attendance was 96,847 (not including Amateur Talent Contest Finals). Def Leppard with special guests Styx and Tesla; Keith Urban with special guest Kelsea Ballerini; and Carrie Underwood with special guest Native Run were sold-out shows.

Nearly 6,000 fans cheered on the best amateur talent in the state at the 43rd Annual State Fair Amateur Talent Contest Finals held Sept. 6 at the Grandstand. Winners were:

Open Division

First place: Family Three of Buffalo, vocal, guitar and mandolin performance, "American Jesus Banana"

Second place: Francesca Dawis of Minneapolis, vocal performance, "Glitter and Be Gay"

Third place: Joy Berg of Annandale, vocal performance, "Amazing Grace Yodel"

Teen Division

First place: Nick Stone and Emily McCurdy of Taylors Falls, dance performance, "Problem"

Second place: Paige Parrucci of Forest Lake, vocal and piano performance, "Iron Sky"

Third place: Trinity Kuether of Shoreview, dance performance, "You Really Did It"

Preteen Division

First place: Emma Taggart of Blaine, piano performance, "Preludium"

Second place: Jade Dyke, Kate Hoppe, Katy Laurman Dance Group of Eden Prairie, dance performance, "Landslide"

Third place: Ava Hanson of New London, vocal and guitar performance, "Summer in Minnesota"

Kevin Ueland of Minneapolis and Kim Robinson of Bloomington were the overall male and female 5K Milk Run winners with times of 17:30 and 18:06, respectively.

The 2015 Outstanding Senior Citizen Awards were presented to Pat Rice of Faribault and Art Heinze of Thief River Falls. A ceremony was held at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell on Thursday, Sept. 3, to honor 74 seniors representing 43 Minnesota counties.

The State Fair 2015 Best Awards recognized outstanding vendors, attractions and commercial exhibits. Winners were:

Best Product or Service: JM Cremp's Boys Adventure Store

Best Food or Beverage: San Felipe Tacos

Best Attraction: Bonanza Shooting Gallery

Best Value: Midway Men's Club

Best Customer Service: Corn Roast

Best Midway Ride: Rock It

Best Midway Game: Drag-A-Fish

Best Kidway Ride: Monkey Maze

New additions and highlights for 2015 included: the centennial celebration of Ye Old Mill (the oldest attraction on the fairgrounds) and the 50-year anniversary of crop art at the fair; free sunscreen available at each information booth; two new rides at Mighty Midway – New York New York Fun House and Super Nova Roller Coaster; a brand-new show about Minnesota history called History On-A-Schtick; Math On-A-Stick, a new learning experience for the whole family; Figure Skating Day at Carousel Park on Aug. 31 with Olympic Gold Medalist and World Figure Skating Champion Kristi Yamaguchi to celebrate Saint Paul's hosting of the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships; and Hmong Minnesota Day on Sept. 7 at Carousel Park to celebrate the culture, history and arts of Hmong Americans and highlight their many contributions since first arriving in Minnesota 40 years ago.

The 2015 fair featured 40 new foods and 11 new frozen treats. The new foods included Buffalo'd Bones, Burger Dog, Butter Chicken Samosas, Cannoli, Chilled Bread Pudding, Cowboy Bites, Cowboy Dave's Cluck & Moo, Deep Fried Ribs, Grandma Deb's Snicker Bar Salad, Grilled Venetian-Style Pizza, Hot Tail, Indi Frites, Island Slaw, Italian Dessert Nachos, Kimchi 'n' Curry Poutine, Limerick Stix, Mac & Cheese Cupcake, Maple Bacon Funnel Cake, Meatloaf Hash, Minnesota BEE-NICE Gluten-Free Muffin, Minnesota Wild Rice Benedict Muffin, Pretzel Croissant Sandwich, Prime Rib to Go, Salad Named Soo, Sara's Tipsy Pies, Sausage Sister's Sriracha Sliders, Seafood Slider, Shanghaied Henri's International Tacos, Smokey's Breakfast Burger, SPAM® Burgers in 5 New Flavors, Sriracha Balls, Sriracha Dog, Steak Apizzaiola, Stuffed Italian Meatloaf On-a-Stick, Sweet Potato Taco, Tikka On-a-Stikka, Totchos, Up Nort Shoreman's Lunch, Walleye Stuffed Mushrooms, and Wine Fried Kalettes. New frozen treats included BBQ Pickle Ice Cream, Butter Queen Coffee Ice Cream, Caramel Chocolate-Dipped Bacon Ice Cream Bar, Chocolate-Dipped Cherry On-a-Spoon JonnyPop, Chocolate Jalapeño Ice Cream, Chunks O' Fruti Frozen Strawberry Bar, Doo Wop Dip, Dot Shakes, Espresso Float, Fire and Ice Kreme, and Salted Caramel Puff malts and sundaes. In total, vendors served up nearly 500 different types of food.

The 2016 Minnesota State Fair will run Aug. 25 through Labor Day, Sept. 5.

For more information, visit mnstatefair.org or email fairinfo@mnstatefair.org.

-MSF-

Posted Tuesday September 08, 2015 at 01:53 pm by Minnesota State Fair